30 Jun 2008

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru vehicles, has announced the successful development of its Subaru STELLA concept model, a prototype electric vehicle (EV).

FHI will supply five plug-in STELLA concept vehicles to the Hokkaido Toyako Summit (7 - 9 July 2008) which will be used to transport government officials and other participants during the event.

The STELLA concept combines the EV system employed in the R1e with the Subaru STELLA mini car. The result represents an optimized model that features compact packaging and superb utility while meeting a wider array of market needs.

FHI plans to use the STELLA concept in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of electric vehicles in Japan. 

FHI has also jointly developed the Subaru R1e with Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TEPCO), a leading utility in Japan, and the vehicle’s performance has been tested since June 2006.

TEPCO have been using the R1e model, equipped with lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries, as part of its corporate fleet. Collecting data under real-world conditions has helped FHI to refine the concept of the next-generation EV and make further improvements under everyday driving situations.

FHI’s mission is to pursue the perfect integration of a pleasant and reliable driving experience with environmental considerations.

The Subaru STELLA concept model is being developed for the Japanese domestic market only.


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